LONDON,
June 1 – Imprisoned Turkish gay activist and conscientious
objector Mehmet Tarhan is being violently abused in the military jail at
Sivas in eastern Turkey, reports David Allison of the gay rights group
OutRage!.

“There
is a serious danger that he will be murdered – either by fellow
prisoners or by the Turkish military authorities” Allison said. “The
prison guards are encouraging other prisoners to attack Mehmet, by
spreading the lie that he is a terrorist.”

“Mehmet
is now on hunger strike in protest at his detention and maltreatment” he
added.

“Following
his refusal to cooperate with the military authorities, he is charged with
“insubordination in front of the unit”, which carries a maximum
penalty of five years imprisonment under Article 88 of TACK (Turkish
Military Penal Code).

“Mehmet’s
trial is scheduled for 9 June. The Turkish legal and military systems are
notoriously unfair and harsh. There is no way he will get a fair trial,”
added Allison.

Outrage!
is backing a campaign by War Resister International (WRI) to press the
Turkish Government to halt the violent abuse of Mehmet and to release him
from prison.

Both
organizations are asking for help for Mehmet. And there are three
ways to help.

Mehmet
Tarhan was arrested on April 8, early in the morning. He was then
brought to a military unit in Tokat, accompanied by military police.
Because Mehmet Tarhan is refusing to co-operate in any way, he was
then transferred to the military prison in Sivas.

A
gay and anarchist activist,. he declared his conscientious objection on
October 21, 2001, and continued anti-war activities in public ever since,
without going into hiding.

A
first trial on April 28 was adjourned to 26 May, to call several soldiers
from his unit as witnesses.

Meanwhile,
Mehmet Tarhan is imprisoned in the Military Prison at Sivas, where he is
facing death threats and abuse. Suna Coskun, Mehmet Tarhan’s
lawyer, reported on the abuse her client faces today.

On
arrival at the Military Prison in Sivas, staff sergeant Mustafa Selvi
threatened Mehmet Tarhan with transfer to ‘Common Cell No 2’, where
the ‘wildest’ prisoners are imprisoned.

Later
Mehmet Tarhan was ordered to enter ‘Common Cell No 1’ on his own.
The cell was dark, and the inmates (who he could not see) ordered
him to sit down on a chair next to the door.

They
started to ask questions. They wanted to know whether he was a
terrorist or traitor, in which case they would kill him. Then the
inmates started to beat Mehmet Tarhan, and insulted him because of his
long hair.

Prisoner
Ertan Mertoglu showed his weapon to Mehmet Tarhan and threatened to kill
him. This attack was ended by other prisoners.

Mehmet
was then transferred to the dormitory, where a few moments later the same
prisoners attacked him again. They beat him everywhere and pulled on
his hair.

The
attack turned into an act of near-lynching. After 20 minutes, other
prisoners again stopped the attack.

Following
the attack in Common Cell No 2, the light bulbs in the cell were tightened
again, so that the normal light in the cells was made to work again. This
indicates that the attack had been prepared.

Later,
the prisoners who beat Mehmet Tarhan came to him and told him that staff
sergeant Mustafa Selvi had told them that he was a terrorist, and “you
know how you have to deal with him”. They said that this was the
reason they beat him.

Mehmet
Tarhan was then transferred to a single cell, but every time Mehmet Tarhan
left the cell, the prisoners Ertan Mertoglu, Hakki Dincel, Ersoy Özbulduk,
and Ercan Kizilboga threatened him.

They
said to him: “We could have killed you on the first day if we
wanted. But we still can do it.

He
was fearing of his life, and therefore did not tell anyone. But then
the prisoners demanded first money, and later clothes, and telephone
cards.

On
April 29, the prisoners Dincel, Özbulduk, and Mertoglu demanded 500YTL
(about €290 or £200) and added he would know what to expec, if he did
not pay.

Mehmet
replied that he was unable to pay such an amount. One week later he
submitted to the threats and handed over 300YTL to Kizilboga and Mertoglu.
Then, his extortioners demanded clother.

On
May 9 they demanded three black suits. To guarantee that he would
deliver, they forced him to call his sister and listened during the phone
conversation.

Two
days later, She brought two black suits, shoes, ties, and shirts to
the prison, which were handed over to Mertoglu by the prison authorities.

Mehmet’s
upper lip and the right side of his lower lip cracked as a result of the
various attacks on him. He is suffering ecchymosis at the chin, the
neck, and other parts of his body.

As
a result of being beaten on his chest he suffered from breathing problems.
In the following days, he continuously lost hair. Because of being
beaten on his knee, legs, and feet he suffered from ecchymosis there, and
for a long time had difficulties standing up.

Mehmet
informed the prison authorities about the abuse on his first day. Nothing
was done to stop the abuse, and the authorities actively encouraged other
prisoners to abuse him.

After
her visit on May 19, Mehmet’s lawyer alerted the prison authorities, and
demanded an examination of Mehmet Tarhan and a new lock for Mehmet
Tarhan's cell.

On
May 20, the prison authorities recorded the abuse, and promised to ensure
his safety. However, War Resisters' International and Mehmet
Tarhan’s friends and lawyers still fear for his safety.